Refrigerator cabinet



Oct. 17, 1939. KING 7 2,176,717

REFRIGERATOR CABINET Filed May 6, 1938 FT .1. FT .2. A I g z z T T Rober't King, y 1 6 His 'ttorneg.

Patented Oct. 17, 1939 narmcnm'ron CABINET Robert A. King, Erie, Pa., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application May 6, 1938, Serial No. 206,492

5 Claims.

My invention relates to a refrigerator construction and more particularly to a retaining means for gaskets and a supportfor a door strip such as are used in connection with refrigeratdr doors or other closure members.

The objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification; I

For a better understanding of my invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator embodying my invention, Fig. 2 is a view partly in section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view partly in section of a portion of the door.

Referring to the drawing, I have shown a refrigerator III of the household type having a food compartment closed by a door I I and a machinery compartment closed by a door l2, the doors being of the full-width type.

The door ll includes an outer wall l3 and an inner wall it maintained in spaced relationship by a plurality of bridge members liformed of suitable non-metallic non-hygroscopic material.

Resinous products, such as those known under the trade-names Bakelite, Textolite, etc., are par-n ticularly well adapted to the present purpose. Suitable heat insulation i6 is arranged between walls l3 and I4.

I have provided an improved means for maintaining a door sealing gasket I! in position comprising a substantially U-shaped strip l8 which is attached to the outer wall of the cabinet door II in such a manner as to provide a recess or groove to receive and retain the gasket. At the same time, the U-shaped strip also cooperates with door strip I9 to close the opening between the walls of the door without the aid of visible attaching devices, thus improving the appearance of the cabinet.

The marginal edge of the outer wall I3 is bent inwardly into flange 20 in substantial alignment with flange 2! which has been formed in the marginal edge of wall H. A strip of metal I8, substantially U-shaped in cross section, is provided with a flange 22 which is adapted to be attached in any suitable mannuer, as by welding, for example, to flange 20 so as to leave a portion of flange 20 extending beyond flange 22. The opposite arm of the strip I8 is provided with a flange 23. One portion of this latter flange is directed toward flange 20 and in substantial alignment therewith. It will be apparent that flanges 20 and 23 and strip l8 cooperate to form a groove or recess for the reception of the fastening flange 24 of the tubular sealing gasket Flange 23 also has an outwardly extending portion in substantial alignment with flange 2| of the inner wall. A door strip IQ of suitable non-metallic non-hygroscopic material, provided with recesses 25 and 26 in its opposite sides, is adapted to engage with flange 2| and the outwardly extending portion of flange 23 thus closing the space therebetween. Recess 26 is made deep enough to receive a series of springs 21, the springs serving to hold the door strip firmly in place and also to simplify insertion and removal of the door strip. In assembling the door, the strip with the springs in place is placed over flange 2i and, as viewed in Fig. 3, pushed to the right until the opposite edge of the strip is free to pass the outwardly directed portion of flange 23. The springs are flattened out during this operation but will spring back to normal shape when the pressure is removed and cause the strip to move into engagement with flange 23. The reverse procedure is followed to remove the strip.

{The bridge members I are fastened at one end to strip I8 and at the other end to the inner wall I in any suitable manner. In the arrangement illustrated in the drawing screw 28 is used to fasten one end of the bridge member to the gasket retaining member while a bracket 29 attached to flange 2| in any suitable manner and screw 30 are utilized to fasten the opposite end of the bridge.

While I have shown and described my invention as applied to a specific refrigerator door construction, other modifications will readily be apparent to those skilled in the art. I do not therefore desire my invention to be limited to the specific arrangement shown and described, and I intend in the appended claims to cover all modifications within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A gasket retaining construction comprising a strip substantially U-shaped in cross section arranged adjacent the outer wall of a refrigerator cabinet and cooperating with said outer wall to provide a recess between said outer wall and said strip for' the retention of a portion of a door gasket, and cooperating with the inner wall of said cabinet to support a door strip.

2. In a refrigerator, gasket retaining means comprising a strip substantially U-shaped in cross section, said strip having a flange on each arm thereof, the flange on one arm of said strip being arranged adjacent the outer wall of the refrigerator, a second flange arranged on the other arm of said strip in substantial alignment with said outer wall and spaced therefrom thereby providing a recess for the fastening flange of a door gasket.

3. In a refrigerator comprising inner and outer metallic walls with heat insulation therebetween, gasket retaining means comprising a strip substantially 'U-shaped in cross section, said strip having a flange on each arm thereof, the flange on one arm of said strip being arranged adjacent the outer wall of the refrigerator, a second flange arranged on the other arm of said strip in substantial alignment with said outer wall and spaced therefrom to provide a recess for the fastening flange of a door gasket, said second flange also having a projection extending toward the inner wall of said refrigerator in substantial alignment therewith and arranged to cooperate with said inner wall to support a door strip between said second flange and said inner wall.

directed'flange, a strip substantially U-shaped in cross-section, one arm of said strip located adjacent said flange, a door sealing gasket, the second arm of said U-shaped strip having a flange in substantial alignment with said flange on said outer wall and spaced therefrom to provide a recess for the retention of said gasket, and a door strip between said inner wall and said flange on said second arm of said U-shaped strip.

5. A refrigerator construction comprising inner and outer metallic wallsarranged in spaced relation substantially throughout the extent thereof,

heat insulation arranged between said walls, the

marginal edges of said walls having inwardly directed flanges in substantial alignment, a substantially U-shaped member, one arm of said U- shaped vmember having an outwardly directed flange attached to the inwardly directed flange of said outer wall, a second flange on the second arm of said U-shaped member transverse to said second arm and having inwardly and outwardly directed portions, said outer wall and said U- shaped member forming a recess, a sealing gasket having a portion thereof retained in said recess, and a. door strip between the flange on said inner wall and theoutwardly directed portion of the flange on said second arm.

ROBERT A. KING. 

